Statistical bulletin
Regional labour market statistics in the UK:
Jan 2017
Regional, local authority and parliamentary constituency breakdowns of changes in UK
employment, unemployment, economic inactivity and other employment-related
statistics.
Contact:
Release date:
Bob Watson
18 January 2017
subnational.labour.market@ons.
gsi.gov.uk
Next release:
15 February 2017
Table of contents
1. Main points
2. In this bulletin
3. Summary of latest regional labour market statistics
4. Understanding and working with labour market statistics
5. Employment
6. Workforce jobs (first published 14 December 2016)
7. Actual hours worked
8. Unemployment
9. Claimant Count (Experimental Statistics)
10. Economic inactivity
11. Local labour market indicators
12. Where to find more information about labour market statistics
13. Quality and methodology
14. Background notes
Page 1 of 23
1 . Main points
For the 3 months ending November 2016, the highest employment rate in the UK was in the South East (78.2%)
and the lowest was in Northern Ireland (69.3%). The employment rate estimates for those aged 16 to 64 for
September to November 2016 compared with June to August 2016, showed few large increases or decreases for
the regions and countries of the UK.
For the 3 months ending November 2016, the highest unemployment rate in the UK was in the North East (6.8%)
and the lowest was in the South East (3.4%). The unemployment rate estimates for September to November
2016 compared with June to August 2016, are showing few large changes for the regions of the UK.
For December 2016, the highest Claimant Count rate in the UK was in the North East (4.1%) and the lowest was
in the South East (1.3%). Compared with November 2016, the majority of regions saw no change in the Claimant
Count rate, along with a few small decreases of 0.1 percentage points.
For the 3 months ending November 2016, the highest economic inactivity rate in the UK was in Northern Ireland
(26.5%) and the lowest was in the South East (19.0%). The largest change in the economic inactivity rate,
compared with the same period last year, was in Scotland, which increased by 1.7 percentage points.
Between June 2016 and September 2016, the largest increase in workforce jobs in the UK was in the South
West, at 41,000. The largest decrease was in Scotland at 27,000.
In September 2016, the region with the highest proportion of workforce jobs in the service sector was London at
92.5%, which had increased by 0.6 percentage points since June 2016. The East Midlands had the highest
proportion of jobs in the production sector at 13.8%.
The highest average actual weekly hours worked, for the 12 months ending September 2016, was in London at
33.5 hours and lowest in the South West at 31.3 hours. For full-time workers, it was highest in London at 38.2
hours and for part-time workers it was highest in Northern Ireland at 17.1 hours.
2 . In this bulletin
This bulletin shows the latest main labour market statistics for the regions and countries of the UK, along with
statistics for local authorities, travel-to-work areas and parliamentary constituencies.
Data for Northern Ireland, although included in this bulletin, are available separately, in full, in the Northern
Ireland Labour Market Report on the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) website.
Updated this month
Labour Force Survey estimates for the period September to November 2016
Claimant Count for December 2016
Annual Population Survey estimates for the period October 2015 to September 2016
Jobs densities for 2015
Also in this release
Public and private sector employment for September 2016
Workforce jobs estimates for September 2016
Page 2 of 23
3 . Summary of latest regional labour market statistics
Table 1 shows the latest estimates for employment, unemployment and economic inactivity for September to
November 2016 and a comparison with the previous quarter (June to August 2016). Comparing non-overlapping
periods (September to November 2016 with June to August 2016) provides a more robust short-term comparison.
Table 2 shows the latest Claimant Count rate for December 2016 and shows how these figures compare with the
previous month (November 2016) and the previous year (December 2015).
Table 1: Summary of latest headline estimates for regions of the UK, seasonally adjusted, September to
November 2016
UK regions
Employment Change on Jun Unemployment Change on Jun Inactivity Change on Jun
to Aug 2016
to Aug 2016 rate3 (%)
to Aug 2016
rate1 (%)
rate2 (%) aged
aged 16 to
16 and over
aged 16
64
to 64
United Kingdom
74.5
-0.1
4.8
-0.1
21.7
0.2
Great Britain
74.6
0.0
4.8
-0.2
21.5
0.2
England
74.9
0.1
4.8
-0.2
21.3
0.1
North East
70.5
-0.6
6.8
0.0
24.3
0.7
North West
73.0
0.2
5.3
0.2
22.9
-0.3
Yorkshire and
The Humber
73.6
0.6
4.9
-1.0
22.5
0.2
East Midlands
75.8
0.2
4.5
0.0
20.6
-0.1
West Midlands
72.4
-0.3
5.6
-0.2
23.1
0.5
East
76.5
-1.1
4.6
0.7
19.7
0.5
London
73.8
0.4
5.6
-0.6
21.8
0.0
South East
78.2
0.2
3.4
-0.4
19.0
0.2
South West
77.3
0.5
3.7
-0.5
19.6
-0.1
Wales
72.5
-1.0
4.4
0.1
24.1
1.0
Scotland
73.4
-0.5
5.1
0.4
22.5
0.2
Northern
Ireland
69.3
-0.9
5.6
0.1
26.5
0.8
Source: Office for National Statistics
Notes:
1. Calculation of headline employment rate: Number of employed people aged from 16 to 64 divided by the
population aged from 16 to 64. Population is the sum of employed plus unemployed plus inactive.
2. Calculation of headline unemployment rate: Number of unemployed people aged 16 and over divided by
the sum of employed people aged 16 and over plus unemployed people aged 16 and over.
3. Calculation of headline economic inactivity rate: Number of economically inactive people aged from 16 to
64 divided by the population aged from 16 to 64. Population is the sum of employed plus unemployed plus
inactive.
Page 3 of 23
Table 2: Summary of latest Claimant Count estimates for regions of the UK, seasonally adjusted,
December 2016 (experimental statistics)
UK regions
Change on
Rate1 (%)
Dec 2015 aged 18 and
over
Level (thousands)
aged 18 and over
Change on
Nov 2016
Change on
Nov 2016
Change on
Dec 2015
United Kingdom
797.8
-10.1
26.9
2.3
0.0
0.1
Great Britain
765.1
-9.3
32.8
2.3
0.0
0.1
England
641.5
-6.5
29.1
2.2
0.0
0.1
North East
52.2
-0.2
4.7
4.1
0.0
0.4
North West
108.2
-2.1
1.1
2.9
-0.1
0.0
Yorkshire and
The Humber
75.9
-2.0
-0.7
2.8
-0.1
0.0
East Midlands
45.5
-0.8
-1.1
1.9
0.0
0.0
West Midlands
86.5
-1.2
7.2
3.0
0.0
0.2
East
49.9
-0.1
2.1
1.6
0.0
0.1
118.7
0.5
7.6
2.1
0.0
0.1
South East
62.2
-0.7
3.9
1.3
0.0
0.1
South West
42.5
0.0
4.2
1.4
0.0
0.1
Wales
42.1
-1.2
-1.5
2.8
-0.1
-0.1
Scotland
81.5
-1.6
5.2
2.9
-0.1
0.2
Northern
Ireland
32.7
-0.8
-5.9
3.6
-0.1
-0.7
London
Source: Department for Work and Pensions
Notes:
1. Calculation of headline Claimant Count rate: Denominator is the number of people aged 18 and over
claiming Jobseeker's Allowance plus some Universal Credit claimants plus Workforce Jobs.
4 . Understanding and working with labour market statistics
Labour market statistics measure many different aspects of work and jobs and provide an insight into the
economy. They are also very much about people, including their participation in the labour force, the types of
work they do, the earnings and benefits they receive and their working patterns.
We have developed a framework for labour market statistics to describe the concepts within the labour market
and their relationship to each other. The framework is based on labour supply and demand.
Labour supply consists of people who are employed, as well as those people defined as unemployed or
economically inactive, who are considered to be potential labour supply. Our framework distinguishes between
these 3 categories of worker, and also between the different working arrangements of those in employment such
as employees, the self-employed and those on government schemes.
Page 4 of 23
Labour demand is represented by employers, who have a need for work to be done, and who offer compensation
for this work to the employees who undertake it. Employers group this work to form jobs.
This approach has wide international acceptance, including by the International Labour Organisation (ILO). Users
of labour market statistics include central and local government, economists, financial analysts, journalists,
businesses, trade unions, employer associations, students, teachers, industrial tribunals, academic researchers
and lobby groups.
They use them for the analysis, evaluation, monitoring and planning of the labour market and economy. Labour
market statistics are also used for social analysis and help inform a wide range of government policies towards
population groups of particular concern (women, young people, older people and jobless households).
Labour market statuses
Everybody aged 16 or over is either employed, unemployed or economically inactive. The employment estimates
include all people in work including those working part-time. People not working are classed as unemployed if
they have been looking for work within the last 4 weeks and are able to start work within the next 2 weeks. A
common misconception is that the unemployment statistics are a count of people on benefits; this is not the case
as they include unemployed people not claiming benefits.
Jobless people who have not been looking for work within the last 4 weeks or who are unable to start work within
the next 2 weeks are classed as economically inactive. Examples of economically inactive people include people
not looking for work because they are students, looking after the family or home, because of illness or disability,
or because they have retired.
A Glossary of Labour Market terms is also available.
What is the relationship between the Annual Population Survey (APS) and the
Labour Force Survey (LFS)?
The Labour Force Survey (LFS) is a household survey using international definitions of employment,
unemployment and economic inactivity and compiles a wide range of related topics such as occupation, training,
hours of work and personal characteristics of household members aged 16 years and over. Estimates are
produced every month for a rolling 3-monthly period; for example, February to April data in a release will be
followed by data for March to May in the next release.
The Annual Population Survey (APS), which began in 2004, is compiled from interviews for the LFS, along with
additional regional samples. The APS comprises the main variables from the LFS, with a much larger sample
size. Consequently the APS supports more detailed breakdowns than can be reliably produced from the LFS.
Estimates are produced every quarter for a rolling annual period; for example, January to December data will be
followed by data for April to March when they are next updated.
This bulletin includes labour market estimates at a regional level from the LFS on total employment,
unemployment and economic inactivity. More detailed regional estimates for employment by age, full-time and
part-time working, economic activity and economic inactivity by age, and reasons for economic inactivity are
provided using the APS. Any estimates for geographic areas below regional level are provided using the APS. In
tables where APS estimates are provided for detailed geographic areas, regional and national estimates are also
provided from APS for comparability.
Page 5 of 23
Making comparisons with earlier data
The most robust estimates of short-term movements in estimates derived from the Labour Force Survey (LFS)
are obtained by comparing the estimates for September to November 2016 with the estimates for June to August
2016, which were first published on 19 October 2016. This provides a more robust estimate than comparing with
the estimates for August to October 2016. This is because the September and October data are included within
both estimates, so observed differences are only between August and November 2016. The LFS is
representative of the UK population over a 3-month period, not for single month periods.
Accuracy and reliability of survey estimates
Most of the figures in this statistical bulletin come from surveys of households or businesses. Surveys gather
information from a sample rather than from the whole population. The sample is designed carefully to allow for
this, and to be as accurate as possible given practical limitations such as time and cost constraints, but results
from sample surveys are always estimates, not precise figures. This means that they are subject to a margin of
error which can have an impact on how changes in the numbers should be interpreted, especially in the short
term.
Changes in the numbers reported in this statistical bulletin (and especially the rates) between 3-month periods
are usually not greater than the margin of error. In practice, this means that small, short-term movements in
reported rates (for example, within plus or minus 0.3 percentage points) should be treated as indicative, and
considered alongside medium and long-term patterns in the series and corresponding movements in
administrative sources, where available, to give a fuller picture.
Further information is available in Quality information, in the Quality and methodology section.
Seasonal adjustment
All estimates discussed in this statistical bulletin are seasonally adjusted except where otherwise stated. Like
many economic indicators, the labour market is affected by factors that tend to occur at around the same time
every year; for example, school leavers entering the labour market in July and whether Easter falls in March or
April. In order to compare movements other than annual changes in labour market statistics, the data are
seasonally adjusted to remove the effects of seasonal factors and the arrangement of the calendar.
A Glossary of Labour Market terms is also available.
Where to find explanatory information
We have produced a number of items to help aid understanding and highlight common misunderstandings of
labour market statistics, all of which are available on our website:
interpreting labour market statistics
a detailed guide to labour market statistics
a glossary of labour market terms
Page 6 of 23
5 . Employment
Employment measures the number of people in work; it differs from the number of jobs because some people
have more than one job.
Employment consists of employees, self-employed people, unpaid family workers and people on governmentsupported training and employment programmes. Unpaid family workers are people who work in a family
business who do not receive a formal wage or salary but benefit from the profits of that business. The
government-supported training and employment programmes series does not include all people on these
programmes; it only includes people engaging in any form of work, work experience or work-related training who
are not included in the employees or self-employed series. People on these programmes not engaging in any
form of work, work experience or work-related training are not included in the employment estimates; they are
classified as unemployed or economically inactive.
An article comparison between estimates of employment and jobs is available on our website.
A Glossary of Labour Market terms is also available.
Regional employment
The employment rate for people aged from 16 to 64 for the UK was 74.5% for the period September to November
2016. This is a decrease of 0.1 percentage points compared with the previous period (June to August 2016).
The UK region with the highest employment rate was the South East at 78.2%, followed by the South West at
77.3% and the East of England at 76.5%. The highest rate for the same period last year was also in the South
East at 77.9%.
The employment levels and rates for Yorkshire and The Humber and London are at record highs, whilst the
employment rate for the East Midlands is additionally at a record high.
The region with the lowest employment rate was Northern Ireland at 69.3%, followed by the North East at 70.5%
and the West Midlands at 72.4%. The lowest rate for the same period last year was also in Northern Ireland at
68.7%.
The region with the largest increase in the employment rate on the previous period (June to August 2016), was
Yorkshire and The Humber, with an increase of 0.6 percentage points. This is consistent with an employment rate
that has been showing steady increases over the last year. Yorkshire and The Humber was followed by the
South West, with an increase on the previous period of 0.5 percentage points.
The East of England had the largest decrease in the employment rate of 1.1 percentage points. This is a smaller
fall than reported last month, but still suggests a rate below the record highs reported for mid-2016. It is too early
to say whether the latest figure is going to be part of a period of sustained falls.
The next largest decreases were for Wales at 1.0 percentage point and Northern Ireland at 0.9 percentage points.
In both cases this is a drop back from an estimate that was a record high employment rate.
Page 7 of 23
Figure 1: Employment rates by region and comparison year on year, seasonally adjusted, September to
November 2015 and September to November 2016
UK regions
Source: Labour Force Survey: Office for National Statistics
Over the year, the region with the largest increase in the employment rate was Yorkshire and The Humber, with
an increase of 2.2 percentage points, followed by Wales, with an increase of 1.9 percentage points.
Scotland had the largest decrease in the employment rate at 1.4 percentage points, followed by the East of
England at 1.1 percentage points.
Where to find data about employment
Employment estimates are available for each region in Dataset HI00 – Headline LFS indicators for all UK regions
and HI01 to HI12 – Headline indicators for individual UK regions (Tabs 1 and 2), and Datasets LI01 to LI05 Local
indicators for sub-regional areas of Great Britain , for this and further estimate breakdowns by age or geographies.
These tables contain data produced from the Labour Force Survey (LFS) and Annual Population Survey (APS). A
note in the section Understanding and working with labour market statistics on the relationship between the LFS
and APS entitled What is the relationship between the APS and the LFS? is included in this bulletin.
6 . Workforce jobs (first published 14 December 2016)
Workforce jobs measures the number of filled jobs in the economy. The estimates are mainly sourced from
employer surveys such as the Short-Term Employment Surveys (STES) and the Quarterly Public Sector
Employment Survey (QPSES). Workforce jobs is a different concept from employment, which is sourced from the
Labour Force Survey (LFS), as employment is an estimate of people and some people have more than 1 job.
A comparison between estimates of employment and jobs article is published on our website.
Page 8 of 23
A Glossary of Labour Market terms is also available.
The service sector consists of the following industries:
wholesale and retail trade
repair of motor vehicles and motor cycles, transport and storage
accommodation and food service activities
information and communication
financial and insurance activities
real estate activities
professional, scientific and technical activities
administrative and support service activities
public administration and defence
compulsory social security
education
human health and social work activities
arts, entertainment and recreation
other service activities
people employed by households
The production sector consists of the following industries:
mining and quarrying
manufacturing
electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply
water supply, sewerage, waste and remediation activities
The “other” sector consists of agriculture, forestry, and fishing and construction industries.
The Northern Ireland self-employed component of the workforce jobs is published by the Northern Ireland
Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) as part of the Economic and Labour Market Statistics .
Regional workforce jobs
Workforce jobs increased in 6 of the 12 regions of the UK between June 2016 and September 2016. The largest
increase of 41,000 was in the South West, followed by the West Midlands, which increased by 29,000.
Page 9 of 23
The largest decrease was in Scotland, which decreased by 27,000, followed by Wales, which decreased by
16,000.
Compared with the same month last year (September 2015), the largest increase in workforce jobs was in the
South East, with an increase of 118,000. This was also the largest overall change. The largest decrease was in
Scotland, at 7,000.
Figure 2: Change in workforce jobs, by region, seasonally adjusted, September 2015 and September 2016
UK regions
Source: Office for National Statistics
The East Midlands had the highest proportion of jobs in the production sector, at 13.8%, while London had the
lowest proportion, at 2.7%. This is due to London having primarily service-based industries within its region, such
as financial and administrative sectors.
For the service sector, London had the highest proportion, at 92.5%, whilst Wales had the lowest proportion at
77.8%. The service sector currently accounts for 83.7% of the total workforce jobs in the UK.
Page 10 of 23
Figure 3: Proportion of workforce jobs by broad industry group, by region, September 2016
UK regions
Source: Office for National Statistics
Where to find data about workforce jobs
Workforce jobs estimates are available for each region in Datasets HI01 to HI12 – Headline indicators for
individual UK regions (Tabs 4 and 5).
While comparable estimates for workforce jobs by industry begin in 1978, there is information back to 1841,
based on census data (not comparable with the latest estimates), available from 2011 Census Analysis on our
website.
7 . Actual hours worked
Actual hours worked measures the number of hours worked in the economy. Changes in actual hours worked
reflect changes in the number of people in employment and the average hours worked by those people.
A Glossary of Labour Market terms is also available.
Regional actual hours worked
For the period October 2015 to September 2016, the UK region with the highest average actual weekly hours
worked (for all workers) was London at 33.5 hours, followed by Northern Ireland at 32.9 hours. The South West
had the lowest number of hours worked at 31.3 hours.
Page 11 of 23
The UK region with the largest increase in the average hours worked, compared with the same period last year
(October 2014 to September 2015) was the South East, with an increase of 0.4 hours, a percentage increase of
1.4%. This was followed by the West Midlands and London, both with an increase of 0.2 hours (percentage
increases of 0.5% and 0.7% respectively). The largest decrease in the average hours worked was in Northern
Ireland, with a decrease of 0.7 hours (2.0%).
The region with the highest average actual weekly hours worked in full-time jobs was London, at 38.2 hours. This
represents an increase of 0.3 hours and a percentage increase of 0.8%, compared with the same period last
year. The lowest was Scotland at 36.4 hours, which has decreased by 0.2 hours, a percentage decrease of 0.5%.
For part-time jobs, the region with the highest average hours worked was Northern Ireland at 17.1 hours and the
lowest was the South West at 15.6 hours.
For men, the region with the highest average hours worked was Northern Ireland, at 38.3 hours and for women it
was London, at 28.8 hours. The largest difference in average hours worked between men and women was in
Northern Ireland, where men worked on average 11.5 more hours a week than women. The largest change
compared with the same period last year (October 2014 to September 2015), was seen for women in the South
East, where the average hours worked increased by 2.2%: increasing from 26.1 hours to 26.7 hours and
Northern Ireland, where the average hours worked decreased by 2.2%: decreasing from 27.4 hours to 26.8 hours
per week.
The region with the largest difference in total hours worked between men and women was London, where men
worked a total of 34.0 million more hours than women. The region with the smallest difference was Northern
Ireland, where men worked only 6.0 million more hours than women.
Figure 4: Average (mean) actual weekly hours of work, by region and by sex, October 2015 to September
2016
UK regions
Source: Annual Population Survey: Office for National Statistics
Where to find data about hours worked
Hours worked estimates are available for each region in Datasets HI01 to HI12 – Headline indicators for
individual UK regions (Tab 6). These estimates are based on data from the Annual Population Survey (APS).
Page 12 of 23
The national data is also available at the UK labour market statistical bulletin in Datasets Hour1-Actual weekly
hours worked (seasonally adjusted) and Hour2–Usual weekly hours worked (seasonally adjusted) . These
estimates are based on data from the Labour Force Survey (LFS).
8 . Unemployment
Unemployment measures people without a job who have been actively seeking work within the last 4 weeks and
are available to start work within the next 2 weeks.
A Glossary of Labour Market terms is also available.
Regional unemployment
Regional estimates for the unemployment rate are quite volatile, which needs to be allowed for when considering
the pattern of change over time.
The unemployment rate for people aged 16 and over for the UK was 4.8%, for the period September to
November 2016. This is a decrease of 0.1 percentage points compared with the previous period (June to August
2016).
The UK region with the highest rate was the North East at 6.8%. This was also the region with the highest rate for
the same period last year at 8.0%. The next highest rates were seen in the West Midlands, London and Northern
Ireland all at 5.6%. The region with the lowest rate was the South East at 3.4%, followed by the South West at
3.7%.
The region with the largest decrease in the unemployment rate on the previous period (June to August 2016),
was Yorkshire and The Humber at 1.0 percentage point. The general pattern for Yorkshire and The Humber is for
decreasing unemployment rates, although at a much steadier rate than suggested by these latest estimates. The
next largest decreases were seen in London at 0.6 percentage points and the South West at 0.5 percentage
points.
The largest increase in the unemployment rate on the previous period (June to August 2016) was seen in the
East of England at 0.7 percentage points. This is consistent with the fall in the employment rate reported earlier
on in this release. The next largest increase was seen in Scotland at 0.4 percentage points.
Page 13 of 23
Figure 5: Unemployment rates by region, seasonally adjusted, September to November 2016
UK regions
Source: Labour Force Survey: Office for National Statistics
Most regions are showing decreases in the unemployment rate compared with a year ago, with the exception of
the East Midlands, North West, and East of England, which increased by 0.1, 0.3 and 0.8 percentage points
respectively. The largest decrease was in Yorkshire and The Humber at 1.3 percentage points, followed by the
North East at 1.2 percentage points.
We are currently unable to produce the interactive chart relating to unemployment rate by government region,
due to compatibility issues. We aim to develop an improved version of this in the near future.
Where to find data about unemployment
Unemployment estimates are available for each region in Dataset HI00 – Headline LFS indicators for all UK
regions and HI01 to HI12 – Headline indicators for individual UK regions (Tab 2(2)), and Datasets LI01 to LI05 –
Local indicators for sub-regional areas of Great Britain , for further estimate breakdowns by age or geographies.
These tables contain data produced from the Labour Force Survey (LFS) and Annual Population Survey (APS). A
note in the section Understanding and working with Labour Market Statistics on the relationship between the LFS
and APS entitled What is the relationship between the APS and the LFS? is included in this bulletin.
9 . Claimant Count (Experimental Statistics)
What is the Claimant Count?
The Claimant Count measures the number of people claiming benefit principally for the reason of being
unemployed.
Page 14 of 23
Prior to the introduction of Universal Credit, the Claimant Count was measured using the number of claimants of
Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA). Since its introduction in May 2013, the Claimant Count now includes some
claimants of Universal Credit as well as JSA claimants. These Universal Credit estimates are still being
developed by the Department for Work and Pensions. We have therefore decided that the Claimant Count
estimates will continue to be designated as Experimental Statistics while this development is ongoing.
From April 2015, the Claimant Count includes claimants of Universal Credit who are required to seek and be
available for work, as well as all JSA claimants.
Between May 2013 and March 2015, the Claimant Count includes all out-of-work Universal Credit claimants, as
well as all JSA claimants.
Between October 1996 and April 2013, the Claimant Count is a count of the number of people claiming JSA.
Between February 1971 and September 1995, the Claimant Count is an estimate of the number of people who
would have claimed unemployment-related benefits if JSA had existed at that time.
The Claimant Count includes people who claim unemployment-related benefits but who do not receive payment.
For example some claimants will have had their benefits stopped for a limited period of time by Jobcentre Plus.
Some people claim JSA in order to receive National Insurance Credits.
See Notes for Claimant Count at the end of this section and Background notes for further information.
Regional Claimant Count
The seasonally adjusted Claimant Count rate for the UK was 2.3% in December 2016, remaining unchanged
from November 2016, with the level down 10,100.
Figure 6 shows the regional Claimant Count rates since comparable records began in 1974. It shows that whilst
Claimant Count rates have varied widely over that period, the regions with the highest Claimant Count rates have
generally continued to have higher than average rates, whilst those regions with the lowest rates also continue to
be the same regions.
Figure 6: Claimant Count rate by region, seasonally adjusted, April 1974 to
December 2016
UK regions
Source: Office for National Statistics
Interactive chart: move the cursor onto each plot line to see the Claimant Count rate for that region.
Looking in more detail, Figure 7 shows the UK region with the highest rate was the North East at 4.1%. The next
highest rates were in Northern Ireland at 3.6% and the West Midlands at 3.0%. For the same period last year,
Northern Ireland was the region with the highest rate at 4.3%.
The region with the lowest rate was the South East at 1.3%, followed by the South West at 1.4% and the East of
England at 1.6%.
Page 15 of 23
Figure 7: Claimant Count rate by region, seasonally adjusted, December 2014
to December 2016
UK regions
Source: Office for National Statistics
Interactive chart: move the cursor onto each plot line to see the Claimant Count rate for that region.
The only increase in the Claimant Count level compared with the previous month (November 2016) was seen in
London, with an increase of 500. The largest decrease in the Claimant Count level was in the North West, at
2,100. The South West was the only region where the level was unchanged.
The Claimant Count levels for men are showing decreases for most regions of the UK, with the exception of
London, which was unchanged from November 2016. However, the levels for women are showing a mixture of
increases and decreases, with the East Midlands being unchanged. The largest change in the levels for women,
compared with the previous period, were in the East of England and London, which both increased by 400.
Figure 8: Comparison of Claimant Count rate, annual average change and monthly change, December
2016
UK regions
Source: Office for National Statistics: Department for Work and Pensions
Over the last 12 months, the average monthly change in the Claimant Count rates saw small increases in 7 of the
12 regions of the UK, with the North West, Yorkshire and The Humber and East Midlands all being unchanged.
The remaining 2 regions saw an average decrease, of which the largest was in Northern Ireland, at 0.05
percentage points, followed by Wales at 0.01 percentage points. Northern Ireland was also the largest overall
average change.
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Notes for Claimant Count
1. The Claimant Count now includes people claiming Universal Credit. The background notes to this statistical
bulletin have further details.
2. The Claimant Count includes people who claim Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) but who do not receive
payment. For example, some claimants will have had their benefits stopped for a limited period of time by
Jobcentre Plus; this is known as “sanctioning”. Some people claim JSA in order to receive National
Insurance Credits.
3. An article explaining how unemployment and the Claimant Count series are defined and measured and the
difference between the 2 series is available, along with an article to help users interpret labour market
statistics and highlight some common misunderstandings .
4. Universal Credit has not yet been introduced in Northern Ireland and so the "Claimant Count" for Northern
Ireland will only be the number of people claiming JSA.
5. Estimates of Claimant Count by region are available on a comparable basis back to April 1974. The figures
from April 1974 to September 1996 are estimates of the number of people who would have claimed
unemployment-related benefits if JSA had existed. The national records start in 1971, and some data back
to 1881 (which do not have National Statistics status) are available from the “Historic Data” worksheet
within Dataset CLA01 – Claimant Count (experimental statistics) in the UK Labour Market bulletin.
Where to find data about the Claimant Count
Claimant Count estimates are available for each region at Datasets HI01 to HI12 – Headline indicators for
individual UK regions (Tab 7) and at Datasets CC01 – Claimant Count by unitary and local authority , CC02 –
Claimant Count by parliamentary constituency , CC02.1 – Claimant Count for constituencies of the Scottish
Parliament and CC03 – Claimant Count for Local Enterprise Partnerships , for further estimate breakdowns by
geographies.
Datasets showing estimates of Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) are still available at HI01 to HI12 – Headline
indicators for individual UK regions (Tabs 7(1), 8 and 8(2)), and in Datasets JSA01 – Jobseeker’s Allowance for
local and unitary authorities in the UK , JSA02 – Jobseeker’s Allowance for Westminster parliamentary
constituencies in the UK , JSA02.1 – Jobseeker’s Allowance for constituencies of the Scottish Parliament and
JSA03 – Jobseeker’s Allowance for Local Enterprise Partnerships in England , for further estimate breakdowns by
sub-regional geographic areas. However, these estimates are not designated as National Statistics. The back
data for JSA, at a regional level, is available from Nomis. Workplace-based denominators used for the Claimant
Count are also available at Dataset (S03) – Claimant Count denominators .
10 . Economic inactivity
Economically inactive people are not in employment but do not meet the internationally accepted definition of
unemployment. This is because they have not been seeking work within the last 4 weeks and/or they are unable
to start work within the next 2 weeks.
A Glossary of Labour Market terms is also available.
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Regional economic inactivity
The economic inactivity rate for people aged from 16 to 64 for the UK was 21.7%, for the period September to
November 2016. This is an increase of 0.2 percentage points compared with the previous period (June to August
2016). The UK region with the highest rate was Northern Ireland at 26.5%, followed by the North East at 24.3%.
The region with the lowest rate was the South East at 19.0%, followed by the South West at 19.6% and the East
of England at 19.7%.
The region with the largest increase in the economic inactivity rate on the previous period (June to August 2016)
was Wales, with an increase of 1.0 percentage point, followed by Northern Ireland, with an increase of 0.8
percentage points. The North West had the largest decrease in the rate, of 0.3 percentage points, followed by the
East Midlands and South West, both with a decrease of 0.1 percentage points. London was the only region that
saw no change in its inactivity rate, compared with the previous period.
Over the year from September to November 2015 to September to November 2016, the region with the largest
increase in the economic inactivity rate was Scotland, with an increase of 1.7 percentage points, followed by the
East of England, with an increase of 0.5 percentage points. The largest decrease in the rate was in the East
Midlands, at 1.6 percentage points, followed by Yorkshire and The Humber, at 1.2 percentage points.
Northern Ireland also had the highest economic inactivity rate at 26.8%, in the same period in 2015. The current
rate is now 4.8 percentage points higher than the UK rate.
Figure 9: Economic inactivity rate by region and comparison year-on-year, seasonally adjusted,
September to November 2015 and September to November 2016
UK regions
Source: Labour Force Survey: Office for National Statistics
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Where to find data about economic inactivity
Economic inactivity estimates are available for each region at Dataset HI00 – Headline LFS indicators for all UK
regions and HI01 to HI12 – Headline indicators for individual UK regions (Tabs 10 and 11), and Datasets LI01 to
LI05 – Local indicators for sub-regional areas of Great Britain , for further estimate breakdowns by age, reason or
geographies.
These tables contain data produced from the Labour Force Survey (LFS) and Annual Population Survey (APS). A
note in the section Understanding and working with labour market statistics on the relationship between the LFS
and APS entitled What is the relationship between the APS and the LFS? is included in this bulletin.
11 . Local labour market indicators
Local labour market indicators cover employment, unemployment, economic inactivity, Claimant Count and jobs
density, for sub-regional geographic areas such as local and unitary authorities, counties and regions in the UK
for the most recent 12-month period available of the Annual Population Survey (APS). The jobs density of an
area is the number of jobs per head, of resident population, aged 16 to 64.
Indicators from the Annual Population Survey
For the period October 2015 to September 2016, the local authorities with the highest employment rates in Great
Britain were Stroud at 89.0%, Erewash at 88.3%, Epsom and Ewell at 87.7% and Selby at 87.2%. Rochdale is
the local authority with the lowest rate at 61.7%, followed by Birmingham at 61.9% and Leicester at 62.5%. For
the same period last year, the highest rates were in Rushmore at 88.0% and Winchester at 87.7%.
For the period October 2015 to September 2016, the local authorities with the highest unemployment rates in
Great Britain were Birmingham at 9.4%, followed by Hartlepool at 9.3%. The local authorities with the lowest
rates were Uttlesford at 2.0%, followed by Eden in Cumbria at 2.1% and South Northamptonshire, Harborough
and Stratford-on-Avon, all at 2.2%. These were followed by a further 34 local authorities all under 3.0%. For the
same period last year, there were 46 local authorities with a rate of less than 3.0%.
Indicators using Claimant Count data (Experimental Statistics)
In December 2016, the UK local authorities (excluding the Isles of Scilly) with the lowest proportion of the
population aged from 16 to 64 years, claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) or work-seeking Universal Credit
were Stratford-on-Avon and Hart in Hampshire, both at 0.4%. These were followed by 16 local authorities at 0.5%
and 20 other local authorities at 0.6%. There were a further 65 local authorities with a proportion of less than
1.0%.
The proportion was highest in Derry City and Strabane at 5.3%, followed by Middlesbrough at 4.8%, Hartlepool at
4.7% and South Tyneside at 4.4%. There were a further 24 local authorities with a proportion of 3.0% or more in
the UK.
Due to technical issues it is not currently possible to show the map reflecting the Claimant Count for the total
amount of people claiming JSA and Universal Credit (formerly Figure 10). We are also unable to produce the
interactive version of this map, due to compatibility issues. We aim to develop an improved version of this map in
the near future, which will replace the need for a static map image.
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Jobs densities
The jobs density of an area is the number of jobs per head, of resident population, aged 16 to 64. In 2015, the
highest jobs density in Great Britain was the City of London at 84.29 and the lowest was Lewisham at 0.40.
Westminster (4.30) and Camden (2.23), both in London, were the next highest jobs densities. The highest jobs
density outside London was the Isles of Scilly at 2.01. After Lewisham, the lowest jobs densities were East
Renfrewshire at 0.43, followed by East Dunbartonshire at 0.45 and Waltham Forest at 0.46.
Where to find data about local labour market indicators
Annual Population Survey (APS) estimates are available at Datasets LI01 to LI05 – Local indicators for subregional areas of Great Britain and Claimant Count estimates are available at Datasets CC01 – Claimant Count
by unitary and local authority and CC02 – Claimant Count by parliamentary constituency , CC02.1 – Claimant
Count for constituencies of the Scottish Parliament , and CC03 – Claimant Count for Local Enterprise Partnerships
in this statistical bulletin.
These tables contain data produced from the APS. A note in the section Understanding and working with labour
market statistics entitled What is the relationship between the APS and the LFS? is included in this bulletin.
12 . Where to find more information about labour market
statistics
Other datasets within the regional labour market release:
Guide to tables in regional labour market statistical bulletin
Summary of headline indicators (S01)
Sampling variability and revisions summary (S02)
Model-based estimates of unemployment (M01)
Estimates of employment by age (experimental statistics) (X01)
Estimates of unemployment by age (experimental statistics) (X02)
Estimates of economic inactivity by age (experimental statistics) (X03)
Regional public and private sector employment (RPUB1)
Other regularly published labour market releases:
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UK Labour Market statistics
Public sector employment
Young people not in education, employment or training (NEET)
Labour Productivity
Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE)
Business Register and Employment Survey (BRES)
regional and local area statistics are also available at NOMIS®
We have also produced:
ad hoc data and analysis related to employment and employee types
methodological articles related to employment and employee types
Historic articles published in Economic and Labour Market Review and Labour
Market Trends
Articles about labour market statistics were published in Labour Market Trends (up until 2006) and in Economic
and Labour Market Review (from 2007 to 2011). Editions of Labour Market Trends are available from July 2001
until January 2006, when the publication was discontinued. Editions of Economic and Labour Market Review are
available from the first edition, published in February 2007, up until the last edition, published in May 2011.
13 . Quality and methodology
Quality information
One indication of the reliability of the main indicators in this bulletin can be obtained by monitoring the size of
revisions. These summary measures are available in Dataset S02 Regional labour market: Sampling variability
and revisions summary spreadsheet and show the size of revisions over the last 5 years.
The revised data may be subject to sampling or other sources of error. Our standard presentation is to show 5
years’ worth of revisions (that is, 60 observations for a monthly series, 20 for a quarterly series). Further
information on the quality of and methods for workforce jobs estimates can be found in the quality and
methodology information report .
Other quality information
The Quality and Methodology Information documents for labour market statistics contain important information on:
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the strengths and limitations of the data and how it compares with related data
users and uses of the data
how the output was created
the quality of the output including the accuracy of the data
Labour market Quality and Methodology Information
Labour Force Survey Quality and Methodology Information
Claimant count Quality and Methodology Information
Vacancy Survey Quality and Methodology Information
Workforce Jobs Quality and Methodology Information
Average weekly earnings (AWE) Quality and Methodology Information
Further information about the Labour Force Survey (LFS) is available from:
the Labour Force Survey user guide
Labour Force Survey performance and quality monitoring reports
14. Background notes
1. Changes in this month’s bulletin
In this month's release we have updated population estimates used in the local indicator tables (LI01 to
LI05) using the latest mid-year population estimates.
We have also released Jobs Density figures for the year 2015 in the same tables. These have previously
been released in April, but will now be released earlier due to processing improvements.
2. Next month’s bulletin
From February 2017 we intend to replace tabs S01.1 and S01.2 within the data table S01: Regional labour
market summary , with new versions of these tables. The new versions will still contain the same data as
the current version, but will be reformatted to include Government Statistical Service (GSS) geography
codes and to follow standard presentation format for regional tables. Examples of the new format are given
in Tables S01.1a and S01.2a, which, for this month, are attached as additional tables.
3. Incorporation of estimates of Universal Credit into the Claimant Count
The Claimant Count measures the number of people claiming benefits principally for the reason of being
unemployed. Between October 1996 and April 2013, the only unemployment-related benefit in the UK was
Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) and the Claimant Count was therefore a count of the number of people
claiming JSA.
Universal Credit is replacing a number of means-tested benefits including the means-tested element of
JSA. It will not replace the contributory-based JSA.
The Universal Credit programme started on 29 April 2013, with the introduction of this new benefit in 1
Jobcentre Plus office. This has since been extended to some claimants in all Jobcentre Plus offices across
Great Britain. The range of claimants eligible for Universal Credit varies in different offices across Great
Britain. A list of Jobcentres where Universal Credit is available and which claimants are eligible is available
on GOV.UK
Following a consultation in 2012, it was decided that, with the introduction of Universal Credit, the Claimant
Count would aim to include:
people claiming contribution-based JSA (which is not affected by the introduction of Universal Credit)
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people claiming income-based JSA during the transition period while this benefit is being gradually
phased out
people claiming Universal Credit who are not working and who are subject to a full set of labour
market jobseeker requirements, that is, required to be actively seeking work and available to start
work
The experimental estimates of Universal Credit are still being developed by the Department for Work and
Pensions (DWP) and they currently include Universal Credit claimants who are required to seek and be
available for work. This will include a small number of claimants in work with very low earnings. These
experimental Claimant Count estimates are available at Datasets HI01 to HI12 – Headline indicators for
individual UK regions (Tab 7).
It is not currently possible to produce estimates of inflows and outflows for the new measure of the
Claimant Count; however, estimates of JSA inflows and outflows continue to be available at Datasets HI01
to HI12 – Headline indicators for individual UK regions (Tab 7(1)).
Similarly, it is not currently possible to produce a regional age and duration breakdown for the new
measure of the Claimant Count. Estimates of JSA by age and duration continue to be available and are
now published at Datasets HI01 to HI12 – Headline indicators for individual UK regions (Tabs 8(1) and 8
(2)). Regional age breakdowns are available from Nomis.
A breakdown for local geographies for the new measure of the Claimant Count is now available at Datasets
CC01 – Claimant Count by unitary and local authority , CC02 – Claimant Count by parliamentary
constituency, CC02.1 – Claimant Count for constituencies of the Scottish Parliament and CC03 – Claimant
Count for Local Enterprise Partnerships . Estimates of JSA continue to be available and are published at
Datasets JSA01 to JSA03 – Jobseeker’s Allowance for sub-regional areas of the UK .
The JSA estimates are no longer designated as National Statistics because they are no longer the best
estimate of the number of people claiming unemployment-related benefits, as explained in correspondence
between the National Statistician and the UK Statistics Authority:
letter from National Statistician to UK Statistics Authority, 9 June 2015
reply from UK Statistics Authority to National Statistician, 10 June 2015
The article Jobseeker’s Allowance, Universal Credit and the Claimant Count: Changes to the measurement
of the Claimant Count provides further information.
4. Details of the policy governing the release of new data are available from the UK Statistics Authority
website.
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